


Mount of Olives

by orphan_account



Series: The Olive Branch [1]
Category: RWBY
Genre: F/F, Implied Sexual Content, Implied/Referenced Character Death, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Tags May Change
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-13
Updated: 2020-03-15
Packaged: 2021-02-28 20:14:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,838
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23123080
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Following the Olive Branch AU, these are small drabbles with a variety of non-canon pairings to the AU just to explore potential romances in the AU itself that I may not pursue in the original series of short stories.
Relationships: Mercury Black/Sun Wukong, Qrow Branwen/Hazel Rainart, Ruby Rose/Emerald Sustrai
Series: The Olive Branch [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1662082
Comments: 4
Kudos: 24





	1. Do you dance? [Hazel/Qrow]

Amidst the threats against them, Shade Academy gave them a much-needed break when the school dance came around. It wasn’t Qrow’s scene to be playing chaperone for a bunch of kids but these were  _ his _ kids and so here he was, watching awkward young adults of the academy and his own traveling troupe of troublemakers intermingle while he sipped at mediocre punch, listening to the likes of the Shade headmaster ramble on about  _ something _ or other. 

If it hadn’t been for Ruby’s combined force of being newly assertive and demanding paired with her classic puppy dog eyes routine, Qrow would have left half an hour in but he promised he’d stay and keep out of trouble. Even if that meant he spent the entire night itching to reach for the hidden flask in his suit jacket just to get through Theodore’s long-winded speeches and dry conversation, he promised he’d stay. 

It was the least he could do, between the fights against Salem’s forces and Cinder’s search for the Summer Maiden, Qrow knew they needed this moment of normalcy where the fate of the world wasn’t left in their hands; he just wished he could take a breather from a certain  _ headmaster _ , if only for a moment. 

Of course, Qrow mentioned a breather in the sense that he wanted Theodore to stop talking and start walking away. He hadn’t expected the air to be pulled from his lungs at the sight of Hazel Rainart in a deep green suit walking through those doors, following Emerald and Mercury as they led the older man into the large hall.

It had been enough to make him choke on the punch he’d been nursing for the past half an hour, trying hard not to cough and die right here in the most embarrassing way possible. Qrow may have a death wish but he was hoping to go out in a heroic fashion or something less stupid than seeing a big, strong man in a suit - he could already see his gravestone saying ‘Here lies Qrow Branwen: death due to being a bisexual disaster’. 

Hazel was quite the sight though, Qrow couldn’t take his eyes off of him even after Theodore fretted over his well-being. The way the colour complimented his eyes and complexion, how the fit hugged his arms and legs in a way that Qrow couldn’t help but notice. 

If anything, now was the perfect time to escape Theodore and find a more appealing company so he excused himself from the headmaster’s presence under the guise of getting himself a glass of water. Qrow circled his way around, picking up two glasses of punches as he made his way through the crowds towards Hazel who had situated himself in a nook of the building that allowed him to view the dancefloor without drawing attention to himself, no doubt the man was watching Mercury and Emerald from here. 

He wasn’t sure why he suddenly grew nervous the closer he got to Hazel, this was the same man that sat across from him in a bar asking for his help and the same fool who had gotten himself injured on more than one occasion.

It was the man who had taken over the duty Ruby and Yang once had, helping him get to bed when he’d drank too much and this was the man who had held Qrow while he broke down after receiving such validating and kind words from Hazel. Now, here he was staring at this man who may or may not be his friend in the worst possible way and it was hard to look anywhere else when Hazel had his full attention. 

Qrow couldn’t back out now though, he had two drinks in hand and Hazel spotted him as soon as the crowds shifted and parted to give Qrow a path towards the tanned man. Offering a lazy smirk, Qrow held up both drinks as he approached and began to panic internally when Hazel smiled back. It was becoming common to see Hazel with this faint smile as he watched Emerald grow to be her own person or Mercury play nice with others for once, Qrow could see how much those two meant to Hazel.

Sliding beside him, leaning against the wall and offering the glass to the taller man, “I figured you could use the company and I’d rather stand here with you than listen to Theodore for a second longer.”

Taking the offered drink, Hazel gave a curt nod in thanks. There was a moment where those hazel eyes lingered on him that made the hairs on the back of Qrow’s neck stand to attention, uncertainty settling in his aging bones where Qrow felt as if he was being put on display. It was a terrifying and exhilarating feeling when someone showed interest and if Qrow was right, it was the same lingering eyes he had received from several people throughout his life.

Summer was such a fleeting moment of interest before Tai had swept her off his feet like the Prince Charming he was; James was all bark and no bite, chest to chest conversations with thinly veiled flirtations; Winter had being no different to James except she was all bite and all control; Clover was different, sweet and gentle yet commanding in a way that made Qrow want to believe in him. 

Those damn lingering eyes pulled him in and he wanted to resist, Qrow couldn’t endanger another friend and he absolutely shouldn’t try and sleep with the only friend he had left but with how Hazel looked tonight, it just felt like the right thing to do.

Deciding to settle with small talk, for the time being, Qrow let his eyes pull away from the giant of a man on his right and found himself chuckling as he spotted Ruby and Mercury on the dancefloor. The poor guy was doing his best to lead but Ruby had never been a graceful dancer, it seemed that hadn’t changed because she’d stood on his feet twice already - this only served to hurt Ruby more than it hurt Mercury, given the prosthetics.

“I don’t think your boy will be asking the pipsqueak to dance again if he knows what's best for him.” It was strange, seeing this boy dancing with his niece who once threatened their very lives and yet, Hazel had been the same as Emerald and as Mercury. Even so, Qrow was certain he could trust the man now more than ever. There were days where he wondered if his trust in Hazel was a mistake, though given his past with Ozpin and James, trust issues were a given.

Hazel let out a soft breath of air that could pass off as a laugh if his smile was anything to go off, that was enough to make Qrow pleased with himself. It took a few sips of the questionable punch and a few minutes of lingering silence before Hazel was ready to talk, “It seems so, though I feel worse for Ruby’s feet.”

“She’s never been the most graceful, you’d think she’d realise dancing isn’t too different to fighting but it just never clicked.” Qrow grinned as he watched from afar as Ruby escaped the dancefloor to hide behind Penny and Oscar in an effort to prevent others from coming up and asking. 

Hazel pressed his lips together in a taut line, his only response a vague hum before he looked down at Qrow, “Do you dance, Qrow?”

It wasn’t what Qrow was expecting but he wasn’t about to let his excitement or amusement show  _ just yet _ . Instead, he tried to play it off as nonchalant as he could with a shrug of his shoulders and a sip of his drinks.

“I  _ can _ , though I try not to. Not many people here want to dance with a dusty old crow though.” Meeting the other man’s gaze, hazel staring back at ruby-red. A test, Qrow proposed himself as a challenge and he wanted to know if Hazel would take the bait. The man wasn’t one to rise to anything, his temper was maintained until you pushed the right buttons but seducing someone like Hazel was an entirely different situation he’d never expect to find himself pursuing, albeit under the guise of someone more confident than he was nowadays.

It seemed to be enough to get a reaction though because Hazel set the cup down, presenting the hand to Qrow now as an invitation to join him. Qrow tried not to let his eagerness show, eyes focused on how the size of Hazel’s hand dwarfed his own and how it could easily crush every bone in Qrow’s hand yet the hold was so gentle. 

As the two reached the floor, Hazel became hesitant. He hadn’t danced before, not in such a way that mattered and he’d chosen to do this, only to make a fool of himself. Not that Qrow shared that sentiment, pulling back to guide the other on where to place his hands and how to move without having to say a word. If it wasn’t for the height difference, Qrow would have taken the lead but that was near impossible when his entire body was nothing but a mere toothpick to the likes of Hazel.

“I presumed you danced, y’know, given that  _ you _ asked  _ me _ .” Qrow teased, a playful smirk he couldn’t quite help himself from flashing up at the older man. If he hadn’t spent enough time with the man, he wouldn’t have caught the subtle change in Hazel’s expression that gave away the man’s embarrassment and sheepish demeanor.

Following Qrow’s instructions whenever the huntsman interrupted to do so, it would be so much worse if Hazel stood on his feet compared to how Ruby had stood on Mercury’s robotic legs, Hazel found his pace after a minute or two and was able to relax and enjoy the moment.

In true earnest, “I never had the chance until now.” 

Qrow couldn’t find a response, rattling his brain for a quick-witted taunt or a genuine answer. It wasn’t as if dancing in such a way was an opportunity that Qrow imagined popped up often when working for the likes of Salem. Even so, it was surprising to hear and it had Qrow wondering about the last time he had danced this way, so close to someone he could feel their chest heaving as they inhaled and exhaled.

As the huntsman recalled, it had been his senior year back at Beacon during the Vytal Festival when the dance there often commenced. For someone who had gone there with the intention of learning to kill huntsman, both Raven and himself had found themselves enamored with others. 

Tai had Raven close to his heart, the two were a tragic romance waiting to happen and Qrow had grown used to his strange relationship with James where they were both pining yet neither man had done anything about it, figuring the distance was too great when Ironwood would go back to Atlas and climb through the military ranks and Qrow would graduate from Beacon, gain his huntsman license and work alongside Ozpin. He could remember how he’d managed to pull straight-laced and strict James Ironwood back to the exchange student dorms before the end of the night, stripping themselves down and acting as if it was their first time all over again. 

It was a fond memory, albeit a sad one for Qrow after everything that had happened in Atlas but this wasn’t Atlas and Hazel wasn’t James. This was a dance based on trust and small steps forward in the right direction, though it would be interesting to see if that direction led to where Qrow wished it would if they continued to dance this way.

“I’m almost impressed you haven’t stood on my toe yet.” Qrow tried to keep the mood light, he didn’t want to make it obvious what he wanted from this moment of quiet and simple intimacy. 

“You mentioned being a teacher at Signal, it seems you weren’t lying if you can guide me so easily.” Hazel commended him, it came as a momentary shock to Qrow that the other man had even remembered such a trivial fact about him. If anything, it made Qrow smile up at Hazel in a way that he couldn’t help but be internally embarrassed about because he probably looked far too content at dancing with the man and listening to him talk, enough so that he was sure that he heard Yang comment on his face as she and Blake passed by Hazel and himself.

“I’d say you give me too much credit but I feel you’d call me out for being self-deprecating again.” Qrow let out a chuckle, knowing full well that Hazel had grown confident enough around him to scold his gallows humour. Instead, he chose to test the waters and relax against Hazel.

The man had tensed when Qrow drew himself closer but Hazel didn’t pull away or speak up in protest. Instead, Hazel rearranged how his hands rested on him and continued to lead the dance. It was a merciful moment in their hectic lives, more than Qrow felt he deserved but Hazel had a magnetising effect that pulled Qrow out from his darkest depths, ever the silent protector who spoke more with brushing fingertips and shared glances than he did with words but that was what scared Qrow the most.

He had lost Summer, he lost James and he lost Clover, all in different ways and if he let Hazel cross that threshold he desperately wanted to cross himself; how long would it be before he lost Hazel as well?

The thought plagued his mind, he couldn’t bear the idea of losing a friend and someone he had grown to care for. His grip tightened on Hazel’s sleeves, a sharp inhale of breath as he couldn’t bear to do the right thing and leave.

“Tell me to stop.” 

Hazel kept a steady hold as they swayed to the music, leaning down enough to speak clear and confident in Qrow’s ear in a way that sent shivers down the man’s spine, “ _Stay here with me_ , Qrow.”


	2. Rose with Thorns [Emerald/Ruby]

Everything material in life is obtainable one way or another. Whether it be through finesse and hard work, through patience and determination or through deception and deceit. Emerald had never been good with hard work or patience, relying on lies and hallucinations to get by. 

Now, she had no choice and she had to catch up. It's why she was running her fingers through the tarmac laid underneath where she was sat, supposedly observing Ruby go up against the farmhand that was supposed to be an old and powerful wizard. 

Blurs of red and black clashed with green. Too fast to follow, Emerald kept her eyes on one person that managed to outshine everyone. Ruby was no close quarters combatant, that would be where Yang and Mercury excelled in comparison but it was  _ something  _ to watch.

Just watching Ruby move was mesmerising. She had learned to move with the same fluidity as if she was handling her scythe, the huntress melted into each move like second nature. Emerald could feel her interest in the sparring match itself wane and her interest in Ruby pique. 

Emerald gets caught staring. Ruby backs up, digging her heels into the ground as she brings her arms up to guard against Oscar's assault. He manages to catch her off guard, throwing a false punch to bring round a hook into her left cheek. 

As Ruby reels, Emerald can see the trickle of blood. She could swear Ruby's tongue run over the cut in her lower lip, smearing the blood. That's when it happens. 

Ruby smiles. Emerald regrets everything.

When she had first met Ruby, she was a girl who lived the life Emerald had always wanted. Ruby had a loving family, she had a supportive sister and protective friends. Ruby was an optimist with a heart of gold, yet the Ruby that stood before Emerald today was not the same frustrating and immature child back then. 

Emerald could see a girl wading through death and grief, her head held high and her knuckles bruised. She let her eyes wander down to admire her back taut with muscle from arduous journeys and endless battles. Following the beads of sweat that ran down Ruby's neck and slip under the line of a black tank top, Emerald was certain the heat was getting to her head. 

And yet, when Ruby began to approach Emerald as the match came to an abrupt stop when Qrow called for Oscar, all Emerald could do was take in a smile with teeth stained by blood and eyes wide and as glistening as the most polished silver. Emerald had never been tempted to steal again until now, seeing how bright Ruby's silver eyes were against the harsh light of the Vacuo sun. They must be worth the  _ world _ .

Reaching absentmindedly, not once taking her eyes off of the huntress, Emerald held out a bottle of water to Ruby when she got in arm's length of her. Emerald observed the way Ruby's throat bobbed and the droplets of the water that overflowed ran down her chin, diluting the blood and drenching her skin. 

Emerald would have thought sparring in this heat would have been unbearable for those who weren’t used to the desert winds and blistering and prickly heat of the sun. It wasn't as if Ruby was giving her a choice though, enthusiastic as ever to go again with someone she hadn't fought one on one with. 

Stepping out onto the stretch of tarmac, Emerald could feel the heat through her boots. She could hear Ruby's chipper voice call across to her, counting down to the start. Ruby always started off fast and tried to keep people on their toes, using his small frame and agility to her advantage but she didn't take into account Emerald's flexibility and own agile reflexes. 

Emerald may not be able to match Ruby for strength right now but she'd learned to memorise Mercury’s movements to work in tandem with him. Now, it was just a matter of implementing it into her own style just as Ruby mimicked her own teammates. 

The wind whipped around the two as they danced, lethal without the intention to kill. Breaking each other down as their auras dwindled, bruises would no doubt blossom above their skin and paint them in shades of purple and green. 

The minutes passed, the light of the day dwindling into noon. The flicker of red and green aura gave way to a draw, Ruby flashing that smile once more as she held her hand out to Emerald for the thief to take. She'd take more than her hand if she could, the electricity passing through them when Emerald tightened her grip so Ruby could pull her from the ground. 

"We're getting better, don't you think?" 

Those silver eyes stared back at her, awaiting an answer and all Emerald could do was nod dumbly with a smile of her own, her dark complexion barely enough to mask the heat rising to her cheeks and the tips of her ears. 

"Yeah, we are." Emerald watched as the huntress gathered her thin red cloak, clipping it together and gathering their bottles to carry back. It was a wonder to see the shift after the adrenaline ran low but even so, Ruby carried herself as a warrior rather than a child now. 

The tides of battle had formed a formidable woman in Ruby Rose. Emerald didn't know how anyone could find the thrill in mock battles when they spent everyday fighting for their lives yet Ruby thrives in her own misfortune and heavy burdens as the girl expected to carry the weight of the world. She thrived and blossomed into a rose with thorns that could latch into your skin, draining you dry when her blood was pumping and her heart echoed in her ears. 

It was fascinating, it was dangerous and it was  _ beautiful.  _

Ruby bloomed in the face of danger as if she was into it. Emerald thinks she may be into  _ her _ . 


	3. Orbit [Sun/Mercury]

When the threat of destruction was looming over you, the work revolved around containing such a threat required logic and finesse. It required a straightforward and level-headed approach with thought out plans that Sun often found he couldn't follow, always teetering on the edge of being lawless and a force of chaos. Unlike Sun, everyone else could play their part, even Yang could appreciate the safety net of a thorough plan.

Sun was not bound by rules and expectations, he often went off on his own adventures whenever the opportunity arose. The world orbited Sun, it wasn't the other way around and so he would choose where his attention would be focused. This meant he was often left to his own devices or kept off important jobs if Blake wasn't around to anchor him, just so he wouldn't derail finely weaved plans. 

It's why Mercury was often left behind too. 

"It's not personal," Sun echoed, perched on the arm of the couch as he used his tail to stack cards to fashion a poorly constructed house. 

"You got to be kidding me," Mercury huffs, letting his stance lower to glare at the faunus. "They're purposefully leaving us out because they think I'm too arrogant and ruthless! They advise you to stay behind because you're  _ you _ ." 

Pouting, Sun placed another card before it toppled over. Letting the tail hang loose, he watched as Mercury fell back into his training routine. 

"Want to go do something?" he says, in his infinite wisdom. 

It piques Mercury’s interest because his routine slows to a halt and he stands awkward and still, uncertain what to do with his hands until he remembers he can bury them in his pockets. 

Mercury pulls his lip between his teeth, debating whether spending time with Sun would be worse than staying behind to train. 

Eventually, he gives in. "You got something in mind?" 

That's how Mercury found himself grinning ear to ear, a tight grip on the wooden fruit crate the faunus had dropped into his arms without warning before telling him to run. Quick on Sun's tail, the faunus navigated the streets of Vacuo in their daring escape from the authorities with Mercury close behind. 

The two shrieked and yelled with cheer as Sun apologised to passersby, the pair stumbling through the streets. Hurtling the crate behind him, fruit flying and rolling along the dusty walkways. 

As the two weaved through the crowds, Mercury could hear Sun yell out to him between fits of laughter, "Come on, this way!" 

The pair slowed as they came to a busy crowd, Mercury was certain he had lost the faunus among the confused and frustrated faces of civilians until he backed towards an alley, finding himself pulled back by a familiar tail. 

Stumbling backwards and around into a spin, Sun kept Mercury steady and beamed down at him. Pressing a finger to his own lips, Sun whispered low in a way that sent the hairs on Mercury standing up on end, prompting a wicked smirk of his own. 

"What now then, Merc?" he asks, pressed close in the cramped alleyway. Mercury could feel when Sun's chest would rise and fall against his own. 

"I don't know," Mercury whispers back, hands hovering where Sun's tail was wrapped around his waist before taking hold to remind the faunus it was there in the first place, "Whatever you have in mind, you should let go first." 

Unravelling his tail from the other's waist with a breath that could pass for laughter, "I know somewhere good." 

Mercury didn't have a say in Sun's chaotic world, he was merely spinning madly in his orbit as the blond took him by the wrist and dragged him off at breakneck speed. 

The half-yell, half-laugh that erupts from him as the pair ran through the streets, Sun leading the way as if a beacon of light guiding the way. The way he can feel his blood rushing through his body and his heartbeat in his ears, it almost feels like something he dare not name. 

Sun, he thinks, is a star that burns so bright that his fingers entwined with Mercury’s own burns his skin right through to the bone. He's like a supernova, a beautiful and dangerous stellar explosion that outshines all other life in Remnant. 

It's easy to conclude that Mercury is fucked, eyes drawn to how well their fingers are laced together. 

The sky is dipped in evening colours, they've found themselves gazing up at the sky on a strand of sand along the coast where Sun is sprawled out on the sand, resting on his elbows. Mercury watched him, their fingertips pressed against one another from how close they were sat. 

Sun's tail traces patterns in the sand, nonsense with no meaning and he's singing along to a tune that isn't there, one that Mercury cannot place. Sun pulls out his scroll to check the time, it had escaped them so. 

"You think the others are back yet?" 

"Probably," Mercury doesn't care if he's being honest with himself, "You wanting to go back to the Academy already?" 

Sun looks over his shoulder at Mercury, beaming at him in a way that should be annoying and ridiculous but it makes Mercury’s chest tighten and his breathing cut short. 

"I'm good here, the view here is nice," he says. 

There is a beat, pounding between them and thumping against his ears. Their fingers draw close to one another and as their fingertips press close, electricity passed through one another in a way that made Mercury chew on his lip with an excitement and thrill bubbling under his skin that he had never experienced before. 

"Yeah, the  _ view _ ," barely managing to get out coherent words, enjoying the company he was basking in. 

"Shame about those fruit." Sun eventually says, his tail flicks forward in a twitching motion and his body moves in slow motion to sit closer to Mercury, pulling him into his gravitational orbit. Mercury is strong but he is not strong enough to pull away from the heat of Sun's body. 

A low mumble in the space between them, Mercury could not for the life of him remember when he had moved closer to the faunus, "I don't think you're bothered about the fruit." 

The way the faunus smiles at him with the eyes of a predator proves Mercury’s assumptions correct. 

Sun is a supernovae, bright and dangerous and Mercury should turn away before he gets burnt or crushed under the pressure of his heart pounding against his ribs but he can't look away, he can't pull away and so he lets Sun pull him inwards. 

In a swift movement, Mercury finds hands tangled in his vest and pulling him forward, kissing a wicked grin into his mouth. He scalds him with a heat that spreads through his body, burning him from the inside out. 

Mercury fights against the pull, drawing Sun backwards with a drag of his teeth against the other's lower lip but he's hungry, he's desperate and he is drawn in by Sun who topples into the warm sands. 

Pulling away, two hands resting either side of the blond's head and short gasps of breath escaping in pants. Mercury locks eyes with Sun who appears rather pleased with himself, it  _ pisses _ him off. He wants to make Sun revolve around him, he wants to make him collapse from the pressure in his chest when Mercury draws close. 

Yet Sun laughs, carefree and chaotic like a celestial body. Mercury finds he can't pull away, his head dipping to hide in the crook of the faunus' neck as he groans in his own frustration. 

"You're so  _ fucking _ aggravating," Mercury hisses out in his ear, almost threatening but Sun is relaxed with his fingers threading through grey locks of hair, "You piss me off so much." 

"Yup," Sun laughs harder, using one arm to support his weight as he presses his mouth in soft touches against Mercury’s neck. He leaves ghosts of bites along the exposed skin in a way that leaves Mercury heated and shivering at the same time. 

"I'm going to kiss you now," Mercury snarls against Sun's skin but there is no anger or malice behind his bite. It's nothing but hot air and Sun knows it just as much as Mercury does. 

"Then do it," Sun challenges him, pulling Mercury down to kiss him with an open mouth. 

In a world where the end of the world as they knew it loomed over them, Sun was the core of his own world and dictated his decisions on the sporadic and chaotic whims of his life. There was no guarantee Mercury would ever remain a consistent in such a system but if he wasn't willing to try. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> EDIT: Made a minor edit, given I used the wrong word to describe the character.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you everyone who has been reading the general fic for the Olive Branch AU and who expresses interest in this romantic off-branch to the series. I'll be continuing both depending on what I end up getting inspired to write for and I'm excited to explore a variety of pairings that may work in this AU. Thank you for kudos, comments and just reading!


End file.
